Kenneth Schmader, MD
CME Objective: To review current evidence for prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of herpes zoster.
Acknowledgment: The author thanks Jennifer F. Wilson, author of the previous version of this In the Clinic.
Funding Source: American College of Physicians.
Disclosures: Dr. Schmader, ACP Contributing Author, reports grants from Merck & Co. and GlaxoSmithKline outside the submitted work. Disclosures can also be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M18-0998.
Editors' Disclosures: Christine Laine, MD, MPH, Editor in Chief, reports that her spouse has stock options/holdings with Targeted Diagnostics and Therapeutics. Darren B. Taichman, MD, PhD, Executive Editor, reports that he has no financial relationships or interests to disclose. Cynthia D. Mulrow, MD, MSc, Senior Deputy Editor, reports that she has no relationships or interests to disclose. Deborah Cotton, MD, MPH, Deputy Editor, reports that she has no financial relationships or interest to disclose. Jaya K. Rao, MD, MHS, Deputy Editor, reports that she has stock holdings/options in Eli Lilly and Pfizer. Sankey V. Williams, MD, Deputy Editor, reports that he has no financial relationships or interests to disclose. Catharine B. Stack, PhD, MS, Deputy Editor for Statistics, reports that she has stock holdings in Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.
With the assistance of additional physician writers, the editors of Annals of Internal Medicine develop In the Clinic using MKSAP and other resources of the American College of Physicians.
In the Clinic does not necessarily represent official ACP clinical policy. For ACP clinical guidelines, please go to https://www.acponline.org/clinical_information/guidelines/.
This article has been corrected. The original version (PDF) is appended to this article as a Supplement.
Primary care providers and hospitalists frequently encounter older or immunocompromised patients with herpes zoster accompanied by debilitating pain. Atypical presentations and zosteriform herpes simplex may present diagnostic challenges to clinicians. This article summarizes the background, evidence, and guidelines for the diagnosis, complications, treatment, and prevention of herpes zoster. Diagnosis of challenging cases relies on polymerase chain reaction as the preferred test. Treatment focuses on optimal use of antiviral therapy and analgesics. Prevention emphasizes utilization of a new recombinant zoster vaccine, which reduces the incidence of herpes zoster by more than 90% and is preferred to the live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine.
Schmader K. Herpes Zoster. Ann Intern Med. 2018;169:ITC17–ITC32. doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/AITC201808070
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© 2019
Published: Ann Intern Med. 2018;169(3):ITC17-ITC32.
DOI: 10.7326/AITC201808070
Infectious Disease, Prevention/Screening, Vaccines/Immunization.
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